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Turkish bumps up Airbus orders

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 23 January 2024: Türkiye’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, will expand its fleet with an order for 220 Airbus aircraft, made up of 150 Airbus A321s and 70 A350 widebody aircraft.

The latest orders follow earlier orders for 10 A350-900s in September and four A350-900s in July 2023. This latest order will take Turkish Airlines’ total orderbook for Airbus aircraft to 504, of which 212 are already delivered. 

Photo credit: Airbus

The A321neo is the largest aircraft in Airbus’ A320neo family, and by incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo offers a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft. 

To date, over 5,600 A321neos have been ordered by more than 100 customers across the globe.

The A350 is the long-range leader in the 300-410 seater category, serving ultra-long-haul routes up to 9,700nm (17964.4 km). The A350 Family has two versions: the A350-900 and the longer fuselage A350-1000. Turkish will use an A350 when it upgrades to nonstop flights from Istanbul to Melbourne, possibly in 2025. (Distance:7903.34 nautical miles). The airline plans to start a three-weekly Melbourne service starting 24 March this year, but the aircraft will make a technical stop in Singapore for a fuel refill.

Night Markets in Sarawak

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 17 January 2024: Sarawak’s famed night markets come to life as the sun sets, offering visitors a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience filled with food, entertainment and culture. 

Here, we have narrowed down a few of Sarawak’s most iconic night markets.

Metrocity Night Market

A 15-minute drive from Kuching’s city centre brings you to the Metrocity Night Market in Petra Jaya. The market is open every Wednesday to Saturday from 1600 to 2400. It is one of Kuching’s largest and busiest night markets, attracting large crowds comprising tourists and locals. On special occasions like Sarawak Day, this market will transform into a lively stage with music and entertainment showcasing local talents and traditional tunes.

Siniawan Night Market 

Another popular destination for food hunting and sightseeing, Siniawan Night Market is located in a small quaint town in the Bau District, a 25-minute car drive from downtown Kuching. It is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1630 to 2300. Siniawan Night Market is known for its picturesque old wooden townhouses, wall graffiti, and Chinese lanterns hung in zig-zag patterns that line the street. It is a true photographer’s paradise at night when it comes to life as the lanterns light up and illuminate the street in an ethereal glow. A culinary journey awaits you at the hawker stalls that sell varieties of local delicacies such as Bamboo Chicken, kueh, satay, kolo mee, laksa, grilled fish, barbeque chicken wing, ‘ais kacang’, ‘rojak’, ‘char kueh’ and more.

Sibu Night Market

Sibu Night Market, otherwise known as the vibrant night market, is one of Sibu’s oldest markets that has been around since the 1960s. Unlike the other night markets, this market is open daily from 5 pm to 10 pm. Here, you can treat yourself to various local delicacies like cakes, steamed buns, dim sum, satay, pastries, dumplings, barbecued pork parts and others. You don’t want to miss out on the half-moon pancakes, an all-time Sibu favourite. 

Senadin Night Market

Located in Miri, the Senadin Night Market was opened in 2022 and operates every Tuesday to Sunday from 1600 to 2400. This night market is Muslim-friendly and is divided into two zones, separating the halal and the non-halal zones. Miri locals visit this market for barbeque delights sold at the ‘rumah asap’ barbeque stalls and food and drink stalls.

Saberkas Night Market

Miri’s Saberkas Night Market is another popular night market that brings in visitors from around the area. It opens every Tuesday to Sunday from 1600 to 2130. It is situated near Taman Bulatan Miri and Boulevard Commercial Centre, a strategic location that makes it a convenient go-to for Miri locals. You can shop for various goods such as local handicrafts, clothes and local products to bring home as a keepsake. Discover an incredible range of local delicacies unique to this region, like nasi lemak, murtabak, grilled chicken wings, apam balik, tender and juicy satay and colourful layered cakes.

Sarawak’s night markets are more than places to shop and eat; they act as a hub that draws communities from all over together to experience Sarawak’s culture to the fullest. 

To learn more about Sarawak’s food culture scene, visit www.sarawaktourism.com  for more information.

(Source: Hornbill Trail Newsletter)

Singapore roadshow recruits pilots

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 23 January 2024: Emirates, arguably the world’s largest international airline, is revving up its recruitment efforts in Singapore to meet the strong surge in customer demand. 

The airline will host a pilot recruitment roadshow in Singapore from 28 to 29 January and is looking to recruit experienced commercial pilots.

The upcoming roadshow will be held at Carlton Hotel Singapore on Sunday, 28 January 2024 at 1000 and 1300, and on Monday, 29 January 2024 at 1000. Experienced pilots keen to join Emirates as first officers, A380 Direct Entry Captains, or via the Accelerated Command Programme are welcome. 

Prior registration is not required, and pilots are only required to attend one of the sessions. At the session, prospective Emirates pilots can find out more about the airline’s recruitment process, available opportunities, training programmes, expected career trajectory, and benefits, as well as speak to pilots currently flying with Emirates. 

More information can be found at https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/pilots/. 

Emirates’ country manager for Singapore & Brunei Rashed Alfajeer said: “Emirates pilots fly one of the world’s youngest and most modern all wide-body fleets to over 140 destinations across the globe. They will have the opportunity to undergo robust in-house training at Emirates’ cutting-edge training facility, which is based in the vibrant city of Dubai. We look forward to having more pilots from Singapore come onboard our airline as we ramp up our operations globally.”

Emirates held a pilot recruitment roadshow in Singapore for the first time in eight years in 2023. The airline currently has 28 Singaporean pilots.

Flying with Emirates

With a network spanning over 140 destinations, Emirates pilots will have the exciting opportunity to fly to diverse destinations. The airline’s constant investment in fleet renewal also means its pilots will fly the world’s youngest and most modern fleet of all wide-body aircraft: the Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. 

Emirates offers exciting company benefits for pilots and their families, including a competitive tax-free salary, 42 days of annual leave, a generous allowance for accommodation and education, full medical benefits, discounted travel benefits for the wider family and friends, and more.

The selection process is held in two stages. The first stage of the assessment will be conducted remotely, while the second stage will be held in Dubai over two days. Emirates will provide a pair of return Economy Class tickets (upgradeable to Business Class, subject to availability) for applicants and their legal spouses when they travel to Dubai for the second assessment stage.

Emirates pilots will be based in Dubai, one of the world’s safest, most vibrant, and tech-savvy cities and a lifestyle destination with global annual sporting events, spectacular attractions, and adventure sports for children and families.

Cutting-edge Training Experience  

Emirates will provide new joiners with robust, evidence- and competency-based in-house training to ease them into their roles. Successful candidates will complete training programmes at Emirates’ advanced pilot training facilities in Dubai, which currently houses 10 simulators.

Emirates has also invested USD135 million to build another advanced training facility to accommodate six full-flight simulator bays for its future Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X aircraft. The new 63,318 sq. ft. facility is slated to open in March 2024.

Pilot trainees can set up and configure the cockpit environment using bespoke devices as part of the pilot training module and upload the data to the full flight simulator before commencing their training session. This innovative, first-of-its-kind concept is designed to shorten the trainee’s preparatory time inside the simulator, help them maintain focus and take full advantage of the training duration.

A380 Direct Entry Captain 

Technically proficient commanders with a minimum of 3,000 hours of recent command on Airbus fly-by-wire wide body such as the A330, A340, A350, and A380, and a minimum of 7,000 hours of total flying time on multi-crew, multi-engine aircraft (in addition to meeting other eligibility criteria) can apply to be an A380 Direct Entry Captain at Emirates. 

Accelerated Command Programme

Emirates relaunched its Accelerated Command Programme (ACP) in 2022, primarily designed for experienced Airbus captains who command narrow-body aircraft on regional routes and wish to dial up their careers by working with a global airline brand. 

Captains with at least 1,500 hours of Airbus fly-by-wire experience will join Emirates as A380 first officers on an enhanced salary package. They are eligible for an accelerated command upgrade after at least 700 flying hours and two successful recurrent checks. Typically, Emirates pilots achieve these milestones in a little over a year as they fly a mix of ultra-long, long- and short-haul routes. 

First Officer

Candidates for first officer roles must have multi-engine, multi-crew aircraft experience, a valid International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), and a minimum of 2,000 hours on 20-tonne maximum take-off weight aircraft. 

More information about the requirements and benefits of each role can be found here: https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/pilots/. 

Starlux flies to Chiang Mai

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TTR WEEKLY
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CHIANG MAI, 23 January 2024: Taiwanese airline Starlux launched direct flights from Taipei to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand last week, competing with three other airlines on the popular route for holiday travellers.

The airline already flies to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, offering 13 flights weekly. On 18 January, it introduced three weekly flights (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) to the popular tourist destination in northern Thailand from Taipei (TPE).

However, schedules posted on booking sites indicate the airline will schedule up to six flights weekly next week and four flights through mid-February to handle peak season traffic to Chiang Mai through to Chinese New Year on 10 February and then cutting back frequency to three weekly flights until the end of March.

Using an A321neo with business and economy classes, flight JX751 departs Taipei at 1255 and arrives in Chiang Mai at 1615. The return flight JX752 departs Chiang Mai at 1715 and arrives in Taipei at 2210.

The airline competes head-on with Thai AirAsia, EVA Air and China Airlines, all serving the Taipei-Chiang Mai route. The roundtrip fare during the year will average USD240, dropping from a January high of USD309 and a low of USD197 during February due to the high volume of seats on the route but levelling out at around USD200 until June.

Tourism officials in Chiang Mai are optimistic, estimating at least  6 million visitors this year, possibly hitting 15 million if source markets in Asia continue to show a high recovery rate.

WebBeds matchmaking in Indonesia

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TTR WEEKLY
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JAKARTA, 24 January 2024: WebBeds, a B2B accommodation provider, has staged two “speed dating” events in Indonesia that put the country’s top travel buyers in direct contact with leading hoteliers from Singapore and Malaysia.

The two events hosted at Pullman Jakarta Central Park on 16 January and at DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya on 18 January were in response to the latest insights from WedBeds’ booking data, which underlined the importance of Indonesia as a key source market for Singapore and Malaysia. 

According to WebBeds, in 2023, Indonesia accounted for nearly 15% of business at Singapore’s hotels and experienced a more than 50% year-on-year growth for Malaysian hotels. Within these totals, arrivals from Jakarta and Surabaya comprised more than 75% of Indonesian visitors.

WebBeds is empowering hoteliers in Singapore and Malaysia to maximise the opportunities presented by the all-important Indonesian source market by organising these two events in Jakarta and Surabaya in partnership with Tourism Malaysia and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Each event followed the same fast-paced, high-energy format. Representatives from 38 hotels, resorts and hospitality companies in Singapore and Malaysia met face-to-face with top Indonesian travel agencies in a round-robin format. Like speed dating, every buyer could meet every hotel, ensuring all attendees found their perfect match. Tourism Malaysia and WebBeds also gave informative presentations to delegates, allowing guests to learn about each destination’s latest updates and attractions.

“We are delighted to kickstart 2024 with these two exciting and important events. With its proximity, shared cultural links and strong connectivity, Indonesia has always been an important source market for Singaporean and Malaysian hotels. These connections will become even more important in the coming years as rising intra-ASEAN travel drives demand. We are happy to be able to use our business intelligence to identify major booking flows and to empower our partners to capitalise on these trends,” said WebBeds senior vice president of sourcing APAC Cyndi Ng.

“This is a good initiative by WebBeds and a great opportunity for Malaysia to engage with the industry and to share with them the various plans and updates for the year towards Visit Malaysia 2026,” commented Tourism Malaysia’s senior deputy director, international promotions division (ASEAN), Jamilah Abdul Halim.

“Indonesia is an important market for Malaysia. With the market showing significant growth in the arrivals in 2023, we hope we can achieve the pre-pandemic performance this year,” she added.

CoStar figures hotel construction trends

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 23 January 2024: With substantial volume in the planning phases, the Americas was the only world region to show an increase in overall hotel pipeline activity, according to year-end data from CoStar.

CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets.

Construction activity was down in every world region except Asia Pacific. 

December 2023 (% change in comparison with December 2022):

Europe

In construction: 171,354 (-9.7%)
Final Planning: 111,255 (-20.9%)
Planning: 178,580 (+16.3%)
Total Under Contract: 461,189 (-4.7%)
Among countries in the region, Germany (30,046 rooms) led in construction activity, followed by the UK (28,503 rooms).

Asia Pacific

In construction: 486,410 (+2.0%)
Final Planning: 111,462 (+2.3%)
Planning: 290,699 (-4.8%)
Total Under Contract: 888,571 (-0.3%)
China leads the Asia Pacific region in total rooms in construction (309,024), followed by Vietnam (36,852).

Middle East & Africa

In construction: 112,128 (-8.6%)
Final Planning: 36,912 (-10.2%)
Planning: 80,294 (+7.3%)
Total Under Contract: 229,334 (-3.9%)
Most of the region’s pipeline activity is focused on the Middle East. Saudi Arabia (42,282) and the United Arab Emirates (18,998) show the most rooms in construction.

Americas

In construction: 200,615 (-3.1%)
Final Planning: 289,394 (+18.1%)
Planning: 370,033 (+30.0%)
Total Under Contract: 860,042 (+16.7%)
The US holds the majority of rooms in construction in the region, followed by Mexico (12,194), Canada (7,215), and Brazil (5,111).

For more information visit www.costargroup.com

Ultra Challenge returns to Thailand

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TTR WEEKLY
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NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand, 23 January 2024: The North Face 100 Ultra Trail Challenge 2024 Thailand returned after a pandemic-forced hiatus on 19 January for fun and challenges on the trails. 

Almost 2,500 runners of 40 nationalities competed over four distances – 15km, 25km, 50km and the famous 100km ultra distance – enjoying a new and challenging course that traversed the hills of Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong District against the backdrop of Khao Yai National Park.

First launched in 2012, Never Stop Exploring™ has been at the heart of The North Face 100 Ultra Trail Challenge 2024 Thailand, encouraging newbies and experienced runners to push their boundaries and enjoy the outdoors.

The North Face Thailand events were the first to introduce the 100km ultra trail distance in Thailand and are now a rite of passage for any serious trail runner in Thailand. Having competed at every The North Face 100 Ultra Trail Challenge 2024 Thailand since its inception, Thai ultra runner Sanya Khanchai went all out for the 100km win this year but in the end, against a competitive field, had to settle for third. South African Lloyd Sithole won the 100km men’s race.

The women’s 100km was dominated by Thais, with all of the top three spots being claimed by Thai runners. A commanding race saw The North Face Athlete Darika Suwanmongkol lead from start to finish and claim the women’s crown ahead of Palida Apichatammarit and Parichat Namasakan in second and third, respectively.

There were many excellent performances by Thai athletes this year, with standouts including trail legend Jantaraboon Kiangchaipaiphana (aka Super Jay), who won the men’s 50km race. Adirek Ananputtikun and C Chaikanarakkul finished second and third in the men’s 25km, while Sawangjit Sae-Ngow finished second in the women’s 25km. In the 15km distance, Khemmarin Kantha finished first in the women’s division, and Pawitphat Manotham placed third in the men’s.

“After a three-year hiatus, it’s great to be back. We’ve made a lot of changes to the competitor experience this year – a new course, new start/ finish venue, and a new race village – and the feedback from both international and Thai competitors has been excellent,” said North Face Thailand brand manager Arttapol Nitivorakunapan.

As a leading brand in exploration, The North Face Thailand actively supports and promotes trail running in Thailand. Being the first 100km trail run in the country, The North Face 100 Ultra Trail Challenge 2024 Thailand was also the first Thai qualifying event for the world-famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and the first Thai event recognised by the International Trail-Running Association (ITRA).

Air Astana expands fleet

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 22 January 2024: The Air Astana Group fleet has grown to 50 aircraft following last week’s arrival of a new Airbus A321neo from the assembly line in Hamburg, Germany. 

The latest A321neo cabin combines existing business class and the new “Airspace Cabin” economy class, which offers more seats, larger overhead lockers and a “moonlight” cabin lighting system, previously only featured on the airline’s long-haul aircraft. The expansion of the fleet reflects Air Astana’s strategy to grow its fleet to 80 aircraft by the end of 2028. The airline serves 48 international and 43 domestic routes.

In other news, the airline won the Best Passenger Service / Product Innovation Airline of the Year Award earlier this month, presented at the China Civil Aviation magazine’s Sky Choice Travel Awards ceremony in Beijing.

The Sky Choice Travel Awards are annually presented to leading industry players in the aviation, travel and hotel sectors, with the judging panel comprising industry experts, media, and frequent travellers. 

“This is the first time we have won this award, with sincere thanks for the recognition from Civil Aviation Magazine of China and our Chinese passengers”, said Air Astana country manager China Shu Wang.  

Air Astana flights to Beijing are operated with the latest generation Airbus A321LR aircraft.

Sarawak joins MATKA Fair

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 22 January 2024: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) participated in the MATKA Nordic Fair, the most significant travel industry fair in Northern Europe and the Baltic region, last week at the Messukeskus Helsinki Exhibition and Convention in Finland.

STB’s participation in MATKA 2024 was part of a collaborative effort with Tourism Malaysia (TM) to strengthen Sarawak’s presence in the Nordic market as STB seizes an opportunity to build stronger networking with potential travel industry collaborators from Finland and nearby countries in Europe. 

Insightful briefing on the Sarawak Delta Geopark by Maurice Balang, Director of Marketing (Europe, Oceania, North Asia) at a collaborative Networking Session with tourism industry partners in Helsinki, Finland, during MATKA Nordic Travel Fair 2024.

STB’s partnership with TM aligns with STB’s efforts to promote Sarawak as a premier destination for Nordic travellers seeking authentic culture, adventure, nature, food and festival experiences. 

In 2023, Sarawak recorded a growth rate of 145% in visitor arrivals from the Nordic region compared to the year 2022. With more innovative and bolder marketing approaches in 2024 via its expansion strategy, Sarawak hopes to see a further increase in Nordic travellers visiting Sarawak. 

Visitors to Sarawak’s booth at MATKA 2024 enjoyed cultural dance performances accompanied by traditional ethnic musical instruments such as the Sape and the nose flute. A tree bark art demonstration will also showcase Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage, art, and musical traditions.

On show the collaborative spirit between Sarawak Tourism and esteemed tourism industry partners from Nordic countries. This memorable moment follows a successful Networking Session jointly organised with Tourism Malaysia at the MATKA Nordic Travel Fair 2024.

As the biggest region in Malaysia with a low-density population of 2.9 million people (as of 2020), Sarawak is proud of its natural heritage of pristine rainforests, endemic flora and fauna, and its multicultural peoples. Located in Borneo, the third largest island in the world, the rich land of Sarawak is host to a kaleidoscope of cultures made up of 34 ethnic groups, with a rich and diverse ecosystem for adventurers to explore. 

Today, many tourist destinations have adopted the principles of responsible tourism in their management and tourism practices, and Sarawak is no exception. Taking environmental issues seriously, Sarawak tourism players incorporate elements of sustainable waste management, energy conservation, and environmental education into their tours to ensure travellers can contribute to the conservation of Sarawak’s attractions for generations to come. Visitors to Sarawak can experience the local authentic Sarawak lifestyle by staying in community-based homestays or enjoying the modern and scenic landscapes of its cities.

Sarawak Tourism Board

Air China resumes Munich flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 22 January 2024: After a break of almost four years due to the Covid pandemic, Air China resumed flights between the business metropolis of Shanghai and Munich in Germany last week.

The airline flies an Airbus A350-900 long-haul aircraft three times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, taking off from Shanghai (CA827) at 0155 and arriving in Munich at 0650. The return flight (CA828) departs Munich at 1250 and arrives in Shanghai (PVG) at 0700 on the following morning. 

Photo credit Munich Airport Welcome back: Air China and Munich Airport representatives with the crew.

Flight time is 11 hours and eight minutes. The Airbus A350-900 is configured with 312 seats, with 24 in business and 24 in premium economy.

Group travel by Chinese nationals to Germany has been possible again without restrictions since August 2023, and tourism officials are confident that passenger numbers between the two countries will soar during 2024. The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD1,550. 

Air China’s last commercial passenger flight between Shanghai and Munich occurred on 6 March 2020.

Meanwhile, Munich Airport reported passengers increased by 17% to 37 million in 2023, up by 5 million. With its current passenger volume, Munich Airport has reached around 80% of the record level from the pre-crisis year 2019. The number of aircraft movements rose 6% compared to 2022 to more than 300,000 take-offs and landings. 

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